In Manila, PM Modi urges his countrymen to work hard to ensure 21st century belongs to India

In Manila, PM Modi urges his countrymen to work hard to ensure 21st century belongs to India

ASEAN summit: PM Modi also drew attention to India's contribution to the world peace, stressing that more than 1.25 lakh Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives just for peace during the two world wars.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the crowd as he arrives to address businessmen in a parallel event of the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits Monday, Nov. 13, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. India is one of Eleven “Dialogue Partners” of the ASEAN. (AP Photo)

Maintaining that India is a land of Mahatma Gandhi and that peace is integral to the country’s culture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stated that his government was striving hard to transform the country and take it to new heights.

“Our efforts are aimed at transforming India and ensuring everything in our nation matches global standards,” PM Modi said while addressing the Indian diaspora in Manila in his nearly 35-minute speech.

Pointing out that 21st Century belongs to Asia, the prime minister said it was duty of every Indian to work hard to make it a century of India. “I say it is possible,” Modi told the cheering audience. Although there might be difficulties in the path, no can stop India from achieving new heights once it’s crossed, he added.

Modi also drew attention to India’s contribution to the world peace, stressing that more than 1.25 lakh Indian soldiers laid down their lives just for peace during the two world wars. “Our contingent in the UN Peacekeeping Forces is among the biggest. India is the land of Mahatma Gandhi, peace is integral to our culture,” he said.

He also heaped praise on his government’s initiatives such as ‘Swachh Bharat’, ‘Jan Dhan Yojna’ and ‘Ujjwala Yojana’.

“Which Indian doesn’t want cleanliness? We have started from where Mahatma Gandhi left and till now over 2.25 lakh villages in India have become open defecation free,” he said.

Taking a veiled dig at the Opposition, Modi said getting an LPG connection was once used to be a big achievement but added that his government has provided free LPG connections to more than 3.5 crore families in over three years.

He also said before 2014 people used to ask how much money has gone to scams but now they ask how much has come.

Modi reached the Philippines capital on a three-day visit on Sunday to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia summits.

Earlier in the day, Modi held wide-ranging talks with US President Donald Trump and told him that both nations can rise beyond bilateral ties and work jointly for the future of Asia. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in the Philippines.